Bogutskaya accused Zaluzhny of political games and silent betrayal of Zelensky
19 February 17:59
People’s Deputy Liza Bogutskaya publicly criticized former Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Valery Zaluzhny, stating that he allegedly allows himself to be used as a political figure and silently observes the use of his name in attacks on President Volodymyr Zelensky.
She expressed this position in an emotional Facebook post, responding to the controversy surrounding Zaluzhny’s interview with international media, which was widely discussed in Ukraine and abroad, according to "Komersant Ukrainian".
“He is already in politics”
Bogutskaya claims that while Zaluzhny was still commander-in-chief in 2023, she called on him to publicly distance himself from political speculation surrounding his popularity and alleged conflict with the president. According to her, the general did not do so and thus “allowed himself to be drawn” into the political process.
“He is not above politics. He was already in politics. He looked down on it and enjoyed the pseudo-ratings,” the deputy believes.
She also stated that Zaluzhny’s current silence after the publication of the interview indicates that he “enjoys being turned into a world-class politician.”
Parallels with Hrytsenko and the “Wagnerites”
In her post, Bogutskaya drew parallels between Zaluzhny’s current popularity and the pre-election ratings of Anatoliy Hrytsenko in 2018, who, according to her, also had high expectations but ultimately lost the election.
In addition, she compared the situation surrounding Zaluzhny’s interview with the public statements of former intelligence officers Roman Chervinsky and Vasyl Burba regarding the failure of the operation to detain Wagner PMC militants, who also blamed Zelensky.
The MP also drew parallels between Zaluzhny’s rhetoric and the statements of former OP adviser Oleksiy Arestovych, who sharply criticized the president on international platforms.
In her opinion, the interest in Zaluzhny on the part of Russian propaganda and opponents of the government is explained by the fact that his figure can be used to exert political pressure on the current leadership of the state.
Harsh assessment
Bogutskaya said that the lack of a clear political position and distancing himself from supporters and critics is damaging the general’s reputation.
“If he had any sense, he would have long since sent away the rabble that is making him a laughing stock. He could have gone down in history as the commander-in-chief who took on the first year of the most difficult war,” Bogutskaya wrote.
Context
The Associated Press recently published an interview with Zaluzhny, which was largely devoted to the state of the war with Russia, the prospects for the front, and the internal decisions of the Ukrainian military and political leadership.
Several statements caused the greatest resonance, which the media presented as indirect criticism of the country’s political leadership by Zaluzhny. In particular, these were statements that the war had entered a difficult phase of attrition and required a change in approach; that there was a lack of resources and mobilization capabilities; that there were limitations that affected the planning of operations; and that a technological breakthrough was needed instead of mass offensives.
A number of Ukrainian public speakers and media outlets interpreted certain statements from the interview as disagreements between the military command and the political authorities. In addition, the Associated Press article was the first to report on the SBU’s searches of Zaluzhny’s home.
Valery Zaluzhny himself did not publicly comment on either the content of the interview or its interpretation in the media after its publication.
